Welcome to HVAC-Talk.com, a non-DIY site and the ultimate Source for HVAC Information & Knowledge Sharing for the industry professional! Here you can join over 150,000 HVAC Professionals & enthusiasts from around the world discussing all things related to HVAC/R. You are currently viewing as a NON-REGISTERED guest which gives you limited access to view discussions

To gain full access to our forums you must register; for a free account. As a registered Guest you will be able to:

Participate in over 40 different forums and search/browse from nearly 3 million posts.

We had someone play a practical joke on our P/M salesman and he went balistic. It was a harmless prank and he over reacted and wants someone fired over it. He interupted a meeting that I was in with 6 service techs to say that someone in the room had done this terrible thing to him and he was pissed! I got right in his face and defended the guys and asked what proof he had. He had none. We got into a shouting match I damn near punched him out.

The prank was that someone had put a panduit strap on his drive shaft and left a long tail on it. In an effort to locate the noise he removed his right rear wheel and happen to see the strap hanging down. He was so pissed that he forgot to tighten his lug nuts and almost lost the wheel on the way home. If never fell off and no harm was done.

The GM is interviewing everyone to try to figure out who done it. So far its a mystery but he is sure its a service tech.

But talk about over reacting. You would think someone slashed all four of his tires.

I played a great joke on the owner April Fool's day 2003. I had the manager of the place I was servicing call into the office as I was leaving and tell the owner how I cussed her out and stormed off because she asked me to "check something else while I'm there." The boss knows how much that drives me nuts. I was already in the van and heading towards the shop when he called to get my side of the story. I could tell he was pretty pissed. I told him that I didn't want to discuss it over the phone, and I would talk to him when I got to the shop. I don't know how, but I managed to walk into his office with a straight face, but it didn't last long. As soon as he started his yelling, I busted up laughing. He obiously forgot that it was April Fool's Day.

I've gotten him every year since I started, so it's kind of a tradition now. This year I switched his and the office manager's offices. Got both at once.

Me and that manager of the store still get a good laugh out of that to this day. She played if off perfectly.

I really like your idea with the strap, and just might borrow it next year. =+)

Originally posted by Bassman
He was so pissed that he forgot to tighten his lug nuts and almost lost the wheel on the way home.

" WHAT IF " he lost his tire while driving. This would had been a terrible and sad story by you, how you lost a co worker today.

Dumba$$ shouldn't have gotten so pissed over something so small. I'll bet he wouldn't have forgotten to tighten his lugnuts then. Most salesmen have the attitude they are better than the techs anyway. They forget where their money comes from. I would bet this is a little payback for being a prick or promising a customer the world to close the sale and the tech is the one who is working O.T. to deliver

Originally posted by Bassman
He was so pissed that he forgot to tighten his lug nuts and almost lost the wheel on the way home.

" WHAT IF " he lost his tire while driving. This would had been a terrible and sad story by you, how you lost a co worker today.

Dumba$$ shouldn't have gotten so pissed over something so small. I'll bet he wouldn't have forgotten to tighten his lugnuts then. Most salesmen have the attitude they are better than the techs anyway. They forget where their money comes from. I would bet this is a little payback for being a prick or promising a customer the world to close the sale and the tech is the one who is working O.T. to deliver

Exactly. Some one needs to go to anger management. You just gotta laugh when you see that you have been pranked. Maybe he should start sitting in on service meetings so he will know how to trouble shoot a little better. Working at a HVAC company that clicking would be a true sign of this kind of prank. Guy gets pissy about something like this, I bet he isn't to liked any more. Some one was just trying to bring him into the group so to speak and make him feel as one most likely and then he alienates himself even more.

I swear people have no patience now days. Every one already to strangle people and get them fire over what? A silly little prank. Come on.

[/QUOTE]Most salesmen have the attitude they are better than the techs anyway. They forget where their money comes from. I would bet this is a little payback for being a prick or promising a customer the world to close the sale and the tech is the one who is working O.T. to deliver [/QUOTE]

That is the problem with most HVAC companies, techs feel that they don't need the salesman. Bullsh t!! The tech needs the salesman as much as the salesman needs the tech. Practical jokes are ok in the workplace when they don't go too far, but they ALWAYS go too far. If that was me I would have been pissed too.

Never mess with a person's food or vehicle. Plenty of fun can be had in the workplace and those 2 simple rules usually help keep it friendly and easy to shrug off. Sawdust, grease, adhesives, etc. are easy to play with and shrug off. Sometimes a bit of laughter keeps people from going nuts, as long as nobody stands to get hurt.

That is the problem with most HVAC companies, techs feel that they don't need the salesman. Bullsh t!! The tech needs the salesman as much as the salesman needs the tech. Practical jokes are ok in the workplace when they don't go too far, but they ALWAYS go too far. If that was me I would have been pissed too.

You are reacting just like he did by ass u ming it was a tech. WTH makes everyone always want to blame the techs for everything that goes wrong.

I like the burnt out smoke gag. stoke up a cig and set on a small piece of plastic, clear, harder but paperthin type stuff. Let it burnout and keep the ashes intact with drips of Krazy glue. Resulting burn on the plastic looks authentic, then set it on the anti smokers desk or comp. On top of the coffeemaker is another good spot.

I waited until the crew cleared out and set on the white coffeemaker, 1st one to see it was the GM he went around for an hour checking who in the office smoked what and trying to find the culprit and left it there, did not realize it was fake. He showed several people the evidence before someone realized the gag. Worked well. Luck and Timing sure helped.

Good run on the Cwiz bassman! I was on top on Thurs. but crashed on Fri. and Sat. looks like Carnaks a lock for 1st probaly shared win though. Much like the Canadian election's going to go

I bet...

Originally posted by Bassman

Originally posted by workhorse

That is the problem with most HVAC companies, techs feel that they don't need the salesman. Bullsh t!! The tech needs the salesman as much as the salesman needs the tech. Practical jokes are ok in the workplace when they don't go too far, but they ALWAYS go too far. If that was me I would have been pissed too.

You are reacting just like he did by ass u ming it was a tech. WTH makes everyone always want to blame the techs for everything that goes wrong.